Who We Are – Experienced Business Lawyers
With a Focus on Small Service-Based Businesses Throughout Florida.
The Legal Department evolved out of the desire to occupy an uncommon space in the legal industry. As attorneys, we want to share knowledge and create long-term relationships with our clients as trusted advisors. In this role, The Legal Department changed the narrative of attorney-client relationships.
At our foundation is a deep understanding that relationships are essential to the success of the business owner, which is especially true for service-based businesses. A business must develop and adopt good business practices that show its willingness to create and maintain beneficial business relationships, whether it’s relationships between owners, clients and customers, vendors, or community partners.
In an industry where making money and winning are the prime objectives, The Legal Department’s singular focus on serving businesses that serve others through the exchange of information and relationship building is a revolutionary concept. Focusing on this type of client drives our continued pursuit of innovative ways to educate and serve our clients.
Laurie and her team are so great! Although I haven’t worked directly with them on services yet, the experience has been great. Jena was warm,... patient, and attentive to all of my questions. We connected over zoom which was also great vs just a phone call. Looking forward to actually working with Laurie and her team!read more
Michael McDaniel
I was originally referred to The Legal Department by my Accountant to help me with a difficult situation going on within my business. I can honestly... say I could not have ended up in better hands. Laurie has always been very attentive, an excellent listener, and continues to ask all of the right questions so that she can advise me on the best options for my situation at the time. As the situation progressed, I continuously reached out to Laurie and her team for assistance knowing that they would guide me in the right direction. I always feel like the team is up to date on what’s going on and knowledgeable. Sometimes the truth can be a tough conversation to have, but I consider The Legal Department to be true friends of my business and willing to give me the reality of the situation with my best interest in mind, even if it isn’t what I was hoping to hear. The flat fees are transparent and I have always felt the rates were fair. The value of service I receive each time for the fee exceeds my expectations. There’s never a hassle to get on the calendar when I need a consult, the team is so responsive when I have a question. I am definitely in a better place now than I was when I first became a client and I will continue to use The Legal Department as time goes on for my business needs and I highly recommend other FL small business owners do the same, you won’t regret it!read more
William Godfrey
Using The Legal Department to set up my new business was a great decision. The experience overall was very easy and reassuring which I appreciated as... a new entrepreneur. I didn’t know very much about how the process worked so having a “one stop shop” with this team to get all of the answers I needed was incredibly helpful. I appreciated the free intro meeting in the very beginning with Jena to go over processes and pricing and to get a feel for the firm culture before beginning a project. From there, both Laurie and Melinda were extremely knowledgeable and helpful as my legal advisors. The team provided resources I needed along the way and connected me to other business professionals I was looking for. I valued the flat fee structure because it was completely transparent and allowed me to feel comfortable reaching out anytime I had a question or needed clarification. While another firm may have been cheaper if I had shopped around, I don’t believe they would have offered the same one-on-one attention that The Legal Department provided. I would definitely recommend this firm to other small business owners looking for a law firm to assist them. I have peace of mind knowing my business was set up the right way and am excited for the growth to come!read more
Tracey Ford
I was referred to The Legal Department for the sale of my business and the experience was very positive. The team was patient throughout the deal and... thoroughly explained the entire process. This was the first time I’d sold a business, and I felt like I was educated, and my input was well received and incorporated. They answered all of my questions and helped put my mind at ease throughout. I have no regrets choosing The Legal Department. Having a flat fee pricing structure was reassuring, as there were no concerns about additional costs. Without hesitation, I recommend The Legal Department to other small business owners in FL.read more
Cannon Plumbing
Good
yaneisy torres de sosa
The Legal Dept is truly one of a kind, incredibly professional service and quality work with timely responses and a genuine desire to help small... businesses and individuals. I'm so thankful to Laurie and her team! Every penny was so well spent!read more
Aubrey Van Benthem
Jena and Laurie and The Legal Department team have been helpful to both me and to my clients! They are responsive and helpful with customer service... that exceeds expectations!read more
Linda Forde
When my siblings and I were looking to start our own small business, we knew enough to know we needed professional help. The Legal Department ending... up being everything we didn’t know we needed. With their help being a flat fee, we were able to take our time and ask all the questions we wanted to ask, no matter how insignificant it may have been. And we had many. The team patiently answered our questions and tailored a business partnership that perfectly met our needs. I can’t thank them enough for all of their help. Everything was so easy from start to finish. I highly recommend them.read more
David Evangelista
The Legal Department is the friendliest law firm I have ever encountered. Anytime I have a project that I need Laurie and her team’s help on, the... process is always easy and straightforward. The flat fee structure allows me to know what I am getting for my investment up front, and I feel that the value is fair each and every time we work together. I trust the experience and knowledge of Laurie's firm. Everything is always explained so well and made clear and easy to understand. Being able to reach out over time and not feel intimidated to ask questions is so helpful as a business owner. Communication with the firm is always timely and thorough. I really enjoy working with The Legal Department – so much that I often recommend them to my own clients!read more
Diane Faulkner
Working with Laurie and her team at The Legal Department was smooth sailing from beginning to end. Once they had my information, they took the ball... and ran with it. I felt confident during the entire process that my interests were being protected and that the job was being done right. I love the up front flat fee structure because it left no surprises. As a small business owner, I was able to budget for what I was going to spend and had no anxiety about costs because they were shared with me at the very beginning before I signed on as a client. That transparency was so refreshing! The whole team has been so personable, I feel like I got more than my money's worth with the relationships I have built by working with them. I feel comfortable asking questions and I have learned so much as a business owner through being a client here. The team truly goes the extra mile for their clients and they've even connected me with other key business advisors I needed. I would 100% recommend The Legal Department to others. Laurie and her team has set the standard for how I want my business relationships to be from here on out. The Legal Department is top notch and I love the way they do business!read more
Ebonie Cosbert
Working the Laurie Lee and her team at The Legal Department eased a lot of my anxieties. The process was smooth and went quickly, they were able to... help me in a timely manner and made sure I understood the moving pieces along the way. The flat fee’s felt fair for what I received and I did appreciate knowing the pricing up front, it made the experience more comfortable and the positive experience with the team spoke to the value as well. Laurie was very knowledgeable in the details of my matter and took the time to explain things to me in a way that I could understand. The legal side of business can be very confusing if you don’t have the law background, so I really appreciated the willingness to answer questions. The team’s responsiveness and customer service were top notch. I would absolutely recommend The Legal Department to other small business owners.read more
Christie M
Laurie and Jena handled our business sale with professionalism. We were put at ease with the process. Top notch detail oriented customer service. ... Our first stop if we ever need anything again!read more
Jennifer Lee
I worked with Laurie and The Legal Department this past Fall. This group helped me sell my business in a speedy, efficient and professional way. I... felt I was cared for through the whole process. Reach out to them to discuss your situation, you will be very glad you did.read more
Val Matta
Laurie is a wonderful and knowledgeable Attorney who we highly recommend
Frank Tonuzi
I highly recommend Laurie Lee and The Legal Department. Laurie assisted with me with some aspects of starting a new business venture. She and her... team were very attentive and took the time to listen to my business goals and worked with me to develop a plan to achieve what I needed. Laurie and her team responded quickly to any questions I had and I could not be happier with the end result. I look forward to working with Laurie and The Legal Department in the future.read more
Antonia Uruski
It was beyond impressive the work The Legal Department conducted on my behalf. I would definitely recommend them to a friend or colleague in need of... an expert in their field.read more
Michael Harshman
I’ve been working with Laurie and her team for several years, and have had nothing but good experiences by using The Legal Department. Laurie is... the best in the business; hands down! She’s very passionate about what she does, she’s reasonable; she listens and truly cares about her clients. Laurie is very professional and knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with.read more
First And Twelfth
I would highly recommend Laurie Lee and The Legal Department! The past few years Laurie has handled several legal transactions for me. Just recently... she professionally represented me in the sell of my business. She is incredibly knowledgeable, timely, and professional. The fees were upfront and clear with all expectations defined. Laurie also helps clients understand the legal language and educates so clients feel knowledgeable during the entire process.read more
Michelle Siner
Working with Laurie and her team at The Legal Department has been a truly effortless process. Simply being able to rely on them as the experts in... their field proved to be a very real advantage. It allowed me to continue moving forward with the business of doing what I do best knowing that each step of the process was completed accurately and correctly.The flat fee structure is certainly the preferred way of doing business. It allows the opportunity to define, plan and budget for the project and to stay in balance. Everything needed was included and, in turn, very well presented. The insight, the wisdom and the services provided are indeed an exceptional value. The team was always responsive and available to answer questions along the way.The professional connection Laurie and her team at The Legal Department have with their clients is top notch. The visual and legal presentation of the documents received was exceptional. I deeply appreciate the connection and the resource of Laurie and her team at the Legal DepartmentSimply stated, and well regarded, The Legal Department is the only firm I recommend for other small business owners.read more
OM Studios
Working with Laurie Lee and The Legal Department has been a pleasure! As a new business, we originally thought we could handle our projects on our... own but after consulting with the SBDC in Jacksonville we realized it was something we would need professional guidance for and were referred to Laurie and her team. What we especially appreciated was the flat fee model for pricing – knowing up front what our fees were going to be and being able to calculate them into our expenses was so helpful. We were quoted hourly fees from some other firms but we had no idea what the end number would be. The agreements that were drafted by Laurie were all professional and comprehensive for our needs. We found that she was patient with us as we learned the legal ropes and replied quickly to our questions or requests. We would absolutely recommend The Legal Department to other small businesses in Florida and we hope to work with them again ourselves on future legal needs!read more
Accounts MyPro
Using Laurie and her team to open my first business was a great decision! Throughout the process I always felt like I was important, my questions... were answered promptly, and the team was communicative and attentive to my needs. Everything felt streamlined and even when there was down time in between calls or meetings, it always felt like they were working on my project and keeping me up to date with the progress. I appreciated the transparency of the flat fee structure; this really took the stress off communicating with one another and left no surprises when it came to the financial commitment. I would definitely recommend The Legal Department to other small businesses! Laurie was knowledgeable and professional, but most of all she was genuine and caring. Great job all around!read more
Rolf Vonderheide
Wow! I can't say enough about the Laurie and The Legal Department. I used them to finalize contract negotiations when I sold my business. Every... step of the way I felt protected.Laurie was fair and reasonable; accommodating most of the time, but a pit-bull when needed! If you are selling a business, you can't do any better than this great team!read more
Gary D.
Nice and knowledgeable!
Tonisha Landry
Laurie, was very professional and knowledgable. She has everything you need laid out in small digestible pieces. She made sense of the legal... situation for me.read more
Walk-in Wedding Chapel
Laurie was a great help and I look forward to working with her in the future.
Blair Gordon
Laurie and team helped us with our business, Flour + Fig Bakehouse, as we were preparing to grow and open a retail location. Very professional,... thorough, a pleasure to work with.read more
Kurt D'Aurizio
Great advice and knowledge of business law. They helped us setup our company and were always ready to answer any questions that came up along the... way.read more
Bo Kikendall
We are very fortunate to have her as our attorney. She had counseled us on important corporate initiatives and had provided thorough guidance on all... aspects of company formation, partnership agreements and other areas. Look forward to continuing our positive experience.read more
Triedata Inc
Great firm! We have utilized Laurie and her team several times over the last two years, always attentive and goes the extra mile to ensure a clear... understanding of our objectives.read more
Jim Satterwhite
I have worked with Laurie for a number of years and I must say that she understands law from a business persons perspective. Every time I have an... issue to discuss with her she not only discusses the legal aspects of the issue but she discusses the business ramifications. That is a rare quality in a legal firm. Understanding how a decision will affect our business helps us make the right decision for our firm. Thanks Laurie for all you do!read more
John Harman
Laurie helped us during the initial steps of setting up our corporation and with our lease review process. It is good to have someone to turn to... that knows all the bases you need to cover. She is always attentive and available and demonstrates true regards toward your business.read more
SightHealth Primary Eyecare
We have worked with Laurie on HR related forms and other matters and she has been wonderful. It has been extremely nice to know prices before... starting a project; it’s nice to ask a question without worrying about how much I’m about to add to my bill. Have recommended her firm to others and will continue to do so.read more
John E
My experience with Laurie Lee was nothing short of awesome. She has assisted me with multiple business matters. She is knowledgeable and easily... accessible, both of which are important to me. I have already recommended her to others.read more
Cindy Lasky
Laurie and her team have been a great and trusted resource for our company. They offer the ideal services and rates for small businesses and really... care about their clients. Hire them without hesitation!read more
Joe Sampson
Laurie is a wonderful attorney who knowledgeable in business law.
Debra Hill
